Training Tip: Head-Shy Rescue Horse

Question: I am quarantining a 10-year-old Arabian gelding I picked up for a rescue out of a kill pen. He is very afraid of having his head touched. He was afraid at the lot and they ran him into a chute to catch and halter him. He will lead if I am quiet, and he loaded OK in the trailer. I think he has been hit and is now scared, but he is not mean at all. Would you approach him differently or be quieter with desensitizing? – countrygirl61658

Answer: I would treat this horse the same as I would treat any horse I was teaching the Fundamentals to. I’d start in the roundpen to gain his respect and trust and then work step-by-step through the rest of the groundwork exercises. The desensitizing exercises: Head Shy Exercises, Slap and Walk, and the Helicopter Exercise at the end of the series will be extremely beneficial to this horse.

The absolute worst thing you can do for this horse is to tiptoe around him and try not to upset him. If you do that, you’ll only encourage his wary, nervous behavior. Forget his past and focus on training him to be a safe, willing partner. He’ll appreciate your confident leadership and make progress quickly.

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